Most kids in high school are excited to get their driver’s licences. Juniors Gabbi Hanson and Garrett Matz and sophomore Will Kozelsky are thinking bigger, and a bit more off the ground. They’re getting their pilot’s licenses.

Gabbi has always been interested in getting her pilot’s license. She lives with her grandparents. Her grandfather, Larry Hanson, is a pilot and her biggest supporter.

“My grandpa’s a big inspiration,” Gabbi said. “He’s the reason why I want to get my pilot license.”

Larry wants Gabbi to do whatever makes her happy.

“If she wants it, I would love that,” Larry said. “She is already a unique individual, but then she would get to say ‘I am a woman pilot.’”

Hanson doesn’t intend to pursue flying as a career. She just thinks flying will be fun.

“Not a lot of females are into it, I like that it’s unique,” Gabbi said.

If Hanson could fly anywhere in the world it would be Egypt. She’s always been fascinated with Egypt and would love to see the pyramids.

Gabbi has been attending the Osh Kosh Air Show for 10 years. It’s a big show in Wisconsin. Companies show off all their new planes. There she may bump into Garret Matz, who goes every year and is also pursuing a pilot’s license.

All the men in Matz’s family are pilots and he hopes to be one too by attending the University of North Dakota.

He won’t take classes until next summer but he knows a lot about flying. He was able to fly a plane a few times with the help of his brother.

“Flying is pretty easy,” Matz said. “Learning what all the instruments do is the hard part.”

Matz couldn’t really express how he felt about flying.

“It’s hard to explain,” Matz said. “It’s just different when you’re up there, you feel like a total bad ass.”

Will Kozelsky hopes to become a pilot through the airlines or the military. He’s currently taking classes at the Albert Lea Airport. He’s always had a passion for flying.

Kozelsky fell in love with flying when he was in kindergarten and his family took a plane to go on vacation.

“It’s amazing seeing the world from a different view,” Kozelsky said.

So tired of all that traffic? Kick it UP a notch. With proper training, anyone can get a pilot’s license.